Machine for bunching bristles.



H. H. CUMMINGS.

MACHINE FOR BUNGHING BRISTLES.

APPLICATION IILED NOV. 22, 1907.

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H. H. CUMMINGS.

MACHINE FOR BUNGHING BRISTLES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1907.

927,832. Patented July 13, 1909.

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I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2'2, 1907. 927,832. I Patented July 13, 1909.

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' Patented July 13, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFrcE;

HENRY H. CUMMINGS, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL E. IORDAN BRUSH COMPANY, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

I MACHINE FOR FUNCHING BRISTLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Application filed November 22, 1907. Serial No. 403,309.

Toall whom "it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY H. CUMMINGS, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Bunching Bristles, ofwhich the following is a specification. I

This invention has for its object to provide a machine for forming groups or bunches of bristles laid loosely side by side into compact bunches or tufts, and securing the bristles together at the butt ends of the tufts.

The invention is embodied in a machine which includes a,rotary carrier having a series of racks or troughs, each adapted to hold a bunch of bristles of sufficient size for a single tuft, means for. jarring said carrier, or giving it a quick vertical reciprocating move ment to jar the bristles endwise, so that their inner ends will all be'flush with each other, means for compressing the inner ends of the bunches of bristles when they reach a given point in their movement by the carrier, and means for wrapping a retaining wire or ligature around the compressed end of each bunch, thereby retaining the bunch in the form of a circular tuft, adapted for insertion in a hole formed for its reception in a brush head or block.

Of theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica'tion,Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a machine embodying my invention. elevation of the chief portions of the machine, the lower part of the machine being broken away. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.- Fig. 4 represents an eleline 5-5 of Fig. 3.

vation of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 2, parts of the machine being removed and other parts shown in section. Fig. 5 represents a section on Fig. 6 represents a plan view of the inclined arm shown at the right in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7'7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 represents a bottom or inverted plan view of parts of the mechanism shown'in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 represents an edge view of the mechanism shown jaws being shown as opened in Fig. 11, and closed in Fig. 12.

Fig. '13 represents a sectional view of the compressing jaws in their Fig. 2 represents a side.

- closed position. Fig. 14 represents a erspective view of the compressing jaws. ig. 15 represents a section on line 15-15 of Fig. 1, showing the compressing jaws opened. Fig. 16 represents a view similar to Fig. 15, showing the compressing jaws closed.

Figs. 17 and 18 represent fragmentary views illustrating the manner of forming a wire ring around a bunch of bristles, and Fig. 19 represents a side view of a bunch of bristles as formed and secured by the machine.

The same numerals of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, 12 represents a supporting standard having a fixed horizontal stud 13.

14. represents a hub mounted to turn or rock on the stud 13. To the hub 14 are rigidly affixed an arm 15 and two cams 16 and 17. The arm 15 is provided with a segmental corrugated face 18, whichis adapted 'to impart a quick vertical reciprocating movement to a bristle carrier, which is attached to a vertical spindle 19 (Fig. 3) the lower end of which rests on the corrugated face 18, so-that when the arm 15 is oscillated, the corrugations of the face 18 will cause a quick vertical reciprocating movement of the spindle 19. The bristle carrier as here shown, includes a nub 20 afiixed to the spindle 19, a horizontal plate 21 aflixed to the hub, and a series of inclined V-sha ed racks or trays 22 affixed to the plate 21, t 1e apices of said' trays radiating from a central point in alinement with and above the spindle 19.

23 represents a fixed dished or beveled ring or bristle su port, which extends across the lowerends o the trays 22., and is add ted to support the'l'ower ends or bunches of )IlSr- .tles placed in said trays, the ring 23 being attached to a web or plate-24, which is secured by pins 25 (Fig. 3) with a fixed bearing 26 on the standard 12. The'ring 23, therefore, does not rotate, but the bristle carrier is rotated step by step, so that the bunches of bristles deposited in the trays 22, are

swept along over the upper surface of the ring 23, the vertical reciprocating or jarring movement of the bristle carrier at the same time causing the lower ends of the bunches of bristles deposited in. the trays 22, to abut against the ring 23 to make the lower ends .of the bristles flush with each other. The means here shown for rotating the bristle carrier step by step, comprise a quill 27 (Fig. 3)

journaled in the bearing 26, the spindle 19 passing through the said quill, a ratchet 28 afhxed to the quill,- and a pawl 29 (Fig. 5) slidably engaged with a socket 30 affixed to the arm" 15. The pawl 29' is yieldingly pressed outwardly from the socket 30 by a spring 31 (Fig. 5), and is arranged so that when the arm approaches one end of itsoscillating movement, the pawl will engage one of the teeth of the ratchet-28,-and impart a partial rotation to said ratchet and to the quill 27. The quill is engaged with the bristle carrier by means ofa pin 32, affixed to the quill, and passing through an orifice in the plate 21 and hub of the bristle carrier,

. said plate and hub being adapted to slide vertically on the pin32. Loose rotation of the ratchet-28 is prevented by a hand brake 280 controlled by a spring 281, (Fig. 5).

The machine as here shown is adapted to be operated by foot power, a treadle' 33 (Fig.

' nected atone end with the link 36, and at the.

4) being employed 'to mov'ethe arm in one direction, and a spring 34 to move the arm in the'opposite direction. The treadle .33 ispivoted at 35 to a link 36 pivoted at 37 to the standard 12, said treadle and link being also pivoted-at 35 to a rod 38, which is pivoted at 39 to the arm 15. The spring 34 is conother end with the standard 12. The spring normally raisesthe link36 and'rod .38, and holdsthe arm 15 inthe position shown in Fig. When the operatordepresses the treadle33, the arm is swung against the force of the spring to the position shown in Fig.4, and when the'operator releases the treadle the spring re-acts to restore the arm to the first position, shown in Fig. 2. Each movement of the arm 15 causes the corrugated face 18 to jar the bristle carrier, andeach movement of the arm 15 to the position shown in Figs.

41 (Fi 19), and then applying to the compressed inner end of each tuft, a confining wire 42 which holds the bristles of the tuft together at the butt end of the tuft, so that the tuft is adapted to be inserted in a hole formed for its reception in a brush head or block.

The standard 12 is provided with a fixed mclmed arm 43 having guides in which two slides 44 and 45 are movable simultaneously 1n opposite d1rections,- said slides being in alinement with eachother, and having their adjacent ends formed to constitute bunchcompressing jaws as clearly shown. in Figs.

11, 12, 13 and 14, to compress-the inner end of a bunch of bristles 41 contained in one of the trays 22 of the bristle carrier, and change the bunch from the form shown in Fig. 15 to that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 16, and in full lines in Fig. 19. The adjacent ends of the slides 44and 45 are provided with interlocking fingers 46 47 having inclined end faces 48, the fingers'46,being arranged in pairs and separated by spaces which receive the fingers 47, as clearly shown in Fig. 14. The end faces 48 collectively form a substantially rectangular opening when the jaws are brought into the relative positions shown in Fig..- 14, said opening being occupied by the inner end of the bunch of bristles, as shown in Fig. 15. The slides 44 and 45 are first separated from each other to allow a bunch of bristles tobe broughtbetween the jaws of said slides by the bristle carrier, the inner end of the bunch resting upon the arm 43 between the jaws. When a bunch of bristles has been brought into this position by thebristle carrier, the latter is held stationary until the jaws are moved toward each other to the extent shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 16. During this movement of the jaws, the inclined faces 48 act to gradually compress the inner end of the bunch of bristles, and force the bristlesat the innerfend of the bunch into recesses 49 formed a'tth'e inner ends of the inclined faces'48 of the jaws, said recesses being formed so that collectively they compress the inner end of the bunch .into a cylinder, as indicated in Fig. 12. While the jaws are held closed u on the inner end of the bunch, the wire b ank which forms the confining ring 42, is severed by a cutter 50 from a sup 1y wire 52, which is introduced through suitable guides on the machine from a spool or other source of supply not shown, the wire blank being the portion 520 of the wire indicated by dottedlines in Figs. 15 and 16. The cutter 50 oscillates in sliding contact with a fixed plate 501 having an orifice through which the wire passes, said plate acting as a fixed shear blade which co6perates with the cutter in severing the wire. The blank 520 drops into a narrow throat 53 (Figs. 10 and 13) in the slide 45. The slide 44 has a segmental groove 54 (Fig. 13) forming a continuation of the throat 53, and partly surrounding the opening in which the inner end. of the bunch is compressed by the jaws. The slide 45 has a similar segmental groove 55 (Fig. 13), the two grooves 54 and 55 being so arranged that the wire blank when forced endwise through the throat 53 will be bent by the grooves 54 and 55 around .the compressed inner end of the bunch of bristles.

56 re resents a driver which is reciprocated in the t roat 53, and is adapted to force the wire blank through said throat, and cause it to be bent as above described, by the seg- 3 indicated by mental grooves 54 55, the 006 eration of the driver and the said segmenta grooves being 17 and 18, where the driver and the We blank are shown without the jaws, Fig. 17 showing the wire blank partly bent to form the ring 42, while Fig. 18 shows the blank completely bent and converted into said ring. r

After the confining ring 42 has been applied, the slides 44 and 45 are m'o'ved away from each other, to open the jaws and release the tuft of bristles, the bristle carrier being then moved another step to carry the compressed and secured tuft away from the line ofthe jaws. .The completed tuft may be removed from the machine by being allowed to slide downwardly through a discharge opening in the ring 23. The operator places" bunches of loose bristles in the trays 22 of the bristle carrier, and alternately depresses and releases the treadle 33. This causes the jarring of the bristle carrier, its step by step rotation, and the actuation of the severalcams to cause the compression and the se' curing of the bunches.

The mechanism here shown for operating the compressing jaws, the wire cutter and the driver,and for feeding the wire, will now be described.

The lower slide 44 has an extension 440 (Figs. 2 and 4) which bears upon the segmental perimeter of the arm 15. When the arm is moving from the position shown in Fig. 2, to that shown in Fig. 4, the cam 40 encounters the extension 440, and through the latter forces the slide 44 u wardly to the position shown in Fig.. 12. lhe slide 44 is 5 held in this position by the higher portion V by the wire 42.

of the segmental perimeter of the arm 15, until thecompressed bunch has been secured When the arm 15 returns to the position shown in Fig. 2, the slide 44 is drawn downwardly, while the. cam 40 is passing under it, by a spring 100, hereinafter referred to. The upper slide 45 is provided with an ear 65 (Fig. 9), towhich is pivoted at a rod 71 having a slotted head 72 sur rounding the hub 14 and stud 13, said head being provided-with trundle rolls 73 bearing on opposite portions of the perimeter of the,

cam 17.

76 represents a slide which is movable in a guide inthe arm 43, and carries the driver 56. Said slide has an ear 77 (Fig. 9) to which is pivoted at 78 a rod 79 having a slotted head80 (Fig. 4) which surrounds the hub 14 and stud 13, and carries trundle rolls .81 S1 bearing on opposite sides of the perimeter of the cam 16. The slide 76 and driver 56 are reciprocated by the movements of the cam 16, the driver being thus alternately projected and retracted. The arm 43'is provided with guides 83, through which the wire 52 passos, an(l with opposed dogs 84controlled by springs 85, and adapt-,

desirable.

ed to permit the forward movement of the wire, and to prevent backward movement of the same. The jaw-carrying slide 45 is provided with a projection having a face 86 and with a feed dog 87 which engages the wire when the slide 45 is moving forward, the dog 87-being opposed to the-face 86, s

that during the forward-movement of the slide 45, the wire is grasped between the dog and the face 86, and moved forward with the -slide. The extent of feed movement thus imparted to the wire is determined by a'stop 88 attached to the arm 43', said step striking a lug 89 on the do 87 when the slide is advanced far enoug 1 to feedthe requisite length of wire for the blank 520. When the car 89 strikes the stop 88, the feeding dog '87 is displaced and releases the wire so that the forward movement of the latter stops.

The wire cutter 50 is pivoted at 90 to an car on the arm 43, said cutter being an arm having its lower edge sharpened at 500 (Figs.

.10 and 15) to form a cutting edge; The outer end of said arm enters a slot in one arm. of a bell crank lever 91, which is fulcrumed at 92 to an ear on the arm 43. The other arm of the bell crank lever 91 extends downwardly beside the arm 43 between shoulders 93 and 94 (Fig. 8) on a slide 95 which is movable lengthwise on the arm 43, and is connected with the latter by screws 96 passing through longitudinal slots 97 in the slide. The sllde 95 has a projection 98, which bears against a pin 99 attached to the slide 44. A spring 100 connected at one end with a fixed ear or bracket 101, and at the other end with a lever 102, which is fulcrumed at 103 to said bracket, exerts pres-' sure on the slide 95 through the lever 102 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, thus'normally holding the slides 95 and 44 at the lower extreme of their movement,

the spring 100 therefore acting to retract the shoulder 93 of the slide 95 against the lower arm of the crank lever 91, as shown in Fig. 9, and caiisps said lever to hold the cutter 50 in its raised position, shown in Fig. 10. When the slide 44 is moved upwardly bythe cam 40, its pin 99 moves the slide 95 to the position shown in Fig. 8, thus causing the shoulder 94 to move the bell crank lever 91 in the direction required to depress the cutter 50, and thus cause it to sever a blank 520 from the wire 52.

I have here shown the slide 95, spring 100 and lever 102 as portions of a mechanism for additionally compressing the wire ring 42 in case such additional compression is found Three additional or ring com pressing jaws are shown as mounted on the fixed bracket 101, one of these jaws 104 being The said jaw's are provided with segmental slots 108, which receive fixed studs 109 on the bracket 101, the jaws 105 being guided bysaid slots and studs.

\Vhen the ring compressing jaws 104 105' are separated, the inner end of a bunch of bristles is moved into the space between them by the movement of the bristle carrier which removes the bunch from between the bunch compressing jaws previously described, the arrangement being such that when the jaws 105 are projected, they automatically engage the wire ring 42, and. compress the same, after which the movable jaws 105 are retracted, and the bunch is released.

The above described mechanism is so timed that at each stop of the bristle carrier, a bunch of bristles is held with its lower end resting on the arm 43 between the retracted slides 44 45, the form of the end of the bunch defined by the tray 22 by which it is su ported, being indicated inFig. 11. Whi e the carrier is held stationary, the slides 44 45 approach each other, compress the lower end of the bunch, and hold it under compression while the driver forces the wire blank around the compressed end of the bunch. j The wire is fed by the movement of the slide 45 which compresses the bristles. The cutter is moved to sever the blank from the wire, and allow it to drop into the throat 53 just before the driver reaches the blank. After the confining ring has been applied to the bunch of bristles, the jaws 44 45 are separated to release the bunch, and the bristle carrier is given another arti'al rotation, thus bringing an unconfined unch of bristles into position to be compressed, and removing the confined bunch to position between the jaws 104 105,. the latter then closing and additionally compressing the wire ring.

My invention is not limited to the details of mechanism here shown and described, and the same may be variously modified. I do not limit myself to the employment of the supplemental ring-compressing mechanism here shown, andthis may be omitted, in case the wire ring as originally a plied by the action of the driver and tie segmental 'glndmg grooves, causes a sufilclent compression ol the bunch of bristles.

The ring 23 surrounding the lower ends of the inclined trays 22, constitutes a fixed rest adapted to support the lower ends of the loose bunches of bristles laid in the trays. Said rest is interrupted by an opening 112 1), which coincides with the compressthey reach the compressing jaws, it would be necessary to provide some means for lifting the bunches out of the trays and transferring them to osition between the jaws. My invention 1s not limited, however, to the described means for supporting the lower ends of the bunches of bristles, as any suitable means may be lprovided for this purpose in connection wit the means for vertically reciprocating or jolting the carrier to square,

the inner ends of the bunches of bristles.

The binder 42 may be eomposedof wire which is round, flat or of other form in cross section. The term bristles as used herein is intended to mean brush filaments of any material adapted to be treated in the manner described. These filaments may be composed of hogs bristles or horse hair, or other relatively stiff animal hair, or they may be composed of' any suitable vegetable fibrous material adapted for use in brush making, or

the brushes may be composed ofa mixture of animal and vegetable filaments.

I claim:

1'. In combination, a carrier comprising a series of open inclined bristle-supporting trays, a fixed rest for the lower ends of bunches supported by said trays, said rest having an opening, means for moving the carrier tofeed the bunches forwardto said opening, and bunch-compressing and bindmg means to'which the bunches are pre sented by the carrier, said means coinciding with the opening in the rest. 2.. In combinationa carrier adapted to engage and move a series of bristle bunches,

means for supporting thelower ends of the bunches, means for olting the carrler to square the said lower ends, means for moving the carrier to feed the bunches forward, and

bunch-compressing and binding means to which the bunches are presented by the carrier.

' 3. In combination, a carrier comprising a series of inclined trays open at theirends, a fixed rest for the lower ends'oibunches en- "gaged with said trays, means for jolting the carrier to square the ends of the bunches against said rest, means for moving the carrier to feed the bunches forward, and buncheompressing and binding means to which the hunches are presented by the carrier.

4. In combination, a rotary carrier comprising a circular series of inclined radiating trays and a vertically movable spindle connected therewith, means for supporting the lower ends of the bristle bunches supported by said trays, a rotary quill in which the carrier spindle is adapted to move endwise, the carrier and quill being connected to rotate in unison, means for rotating the quill step by step, and means for moving the spindle endwise to jar the trays.

5. In combination, bunch compressing jaws having means for guiding abinding wire around a bunch of bristles confined thereby, and means for forcing a binding wire into said jaws.

6. In combination, bunch com ressing jaws having grooves for guiding a inding wire around a bunch of bristles confined thereby, and means for forcing a binding wire into said grooves.

7. In combination, bunch compressing jaws having wire guiding grooves, one of said jaws having a throat of which the guiding groove in said jaw is an extension, and a driver movable in said throat to force a bind ing wire into said grooves.

8. In combination, bunch compressing I jaws having means for guiding a binding Wire around a bunch of bristles in said aws, one of the jaws having a throat communlcatin with said guiding means, mechanism for de 'vering wire binder blanks to said throat, and a drlver for forcing said blanks through the throat into the jaws.

9. In combination, bunch compressing jaws having means for iding a binding wire around a bunch of brist es in said jaws, one of the jaws having a throat communicating with said guidin means, a cutter arranged to deliver wire binder blanks to said throat, means for feeding wire to said cutter, and means for driving the blanks through the throat into the jaws.

10. In combination, a rotary bristle carrier having means for engaging a series of bristle bunches, bristle compressing. jaws adapted to compress bristle bunches enga ed with said trays, said 'aws having wire gui es, a driver'adapted to orce a binder blank into said guides, wire feeding and cutting devices, and operating mechanism having revisions for actuating said carrier jaws, river and wire feeding and cutting devices.

11. In combination, a rotary bristle carrier having means for engaging a series of bristle bunches, bristle. compressing jaws adapted to compress bristle bunches engaged with said trays, said jaws having wire guides, a driver adapted to force a binder blank into said guides, wire feeding and cutting devices. a hub mounted to rock on a bearing on the sup orting frame, an arm and a series of cams affixed to said hub, and devices cooperating with said arm and earns for actuating the carrier, jaws, driver, and wire feeding and cutting devices.

12. In combination, a rotary bristle carrier having a circular series of trays and a central spindle, means for supporting the lower ends of bristle bunches engaged with said trays, a quill in which said spindle is vertical y movable, said quill having a ratchet, an arm mounted to oscillate on the supporting frame of the machine, and provided with a pawl and with a corrugatedsegmental face supportin the spindle, and means for oscillating said arm to rotate the carrier step by step and jolt it vertically.

13. In combination, bunch-compressing jaws, means for applying a binder to a bunc 1 of bristles compressed by said jaws, and means for compressing the binder.

14. In combination, bunch-compressing jaws, means for applying a binder to a bunch of bristles compressed by said jaws, bindercompressing jaws adjacent to the bunchcompressing 'aws, means for transferring the bunch and t e binder thereon to said jaws, and means for actuating the binder-compressing jaws.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

C. F. BROWN, P. W. PEzzE'r'rr. 

